{"id":6947,"date":"2016-08-25T17:53:11","date_gmt":"2016-08-25T17:53:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/?p=6947"},"modified":"2025-06-10T05:46:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T09:46:52","slug":"how-to-overcome-intimidation-in-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-intimidation-in-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Overcome Intimidation in Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/intimidation-into-motivation.jpg\" alt=\"Intimidation into Motivation\" class=\"wp-image-6950\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/intimidation-into-motivation.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/intimidation-into-motivation-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Using_Intimidation_to_Your_Advantage\"><\/span>Using Intimidation to Your Advantage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Article Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-intimidation-in-sports\/#Using_Intimidation_to_Your_Advantage\" >Using Intimidation to Your Advantage<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-intimidation-in-sports\/#Intimidation_takes_many_forms_such_as\" >Intimidation takes many forms such as:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-intimidation-in-sports\/#Intimidation_challenges_an_athletes_level_of_mental_toughness\" >Intimidation challenges an athlete\u2019s level of mental toughness.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-intimidation-in-sports\/#How_can_you_turn_intimidation_into_motivation\" >How can you turn intimidation into motivation?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-intimidation-in-sports\/#Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Sports Psychology Articles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-intimidation-in-sports\/#The_Fearless_Athlete\" >The Fearless Athlete<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe intimidation factor\u201d is commonplace in competition. Some athletes will seek to get a <strong>mental<\/strong> <strong>edge<\/strong> by taking you out of your game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Intimidation_takes_many_forms_such_as\"><\/span>Intimidation takes many forms such as:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211;Trash talking before a game<br>&#8211;A brush-back pitch to shake up a hitter<br>&#8211;An extra shove after a whistle was blown<br>&#8211;Stare-downs or crazy antics<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter what intimidation is used, the goal is the same&#8230; To try to get in your head and take your <strong>focus<\/strong> away from the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you give into intimidation, you become agitated, angry and anxious which eats away at your <strong>confidence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you <strong>focus<\/strong> on the antics of a rival then you are not attending to what you need to do to perform at your peak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Intimidation_challenges_an_athletes_level_of_mental_toughness\"><\/span>Intimidation challenges an athlete\u2019s level of mental toughness.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One thing to remember&#8230; If you can learn the power of <strong>focus<\/strong>, you can turn a fellow competitor\u2019s attempt at intimidation to work in your favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Intimidation exists in every sport and was visibly on display in the ready room prior to the semi-final heat of the 200 butterfly in Rio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Defending Olympic champion, Chad le Clos, tried his best to intimidate and gain a <strong>psychological<\/strong> advantage over his rival, Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Le Clos shadowboxed in front of Phelps as the two were <strong>mentally<\/strong> <strong>preparing<\/strong> for their semi-final showdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PHELPS<\/strong>: <em>\u201cI just had music going on in my head. I had thoughts going on in my head, spitting water a little bit all over the place, so I was in my own zone.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phelps was stoic as he stared forward and listened to his headphones. At one point, Phelps couldn\u2019t help but notice le Clos\u2019 antics, but Phelps used the intimidation as <strong>motivation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phelps used the intimidation attempt to fuel his performance rather than allowing his emotions to run wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PHELPS<\/strong>: <em>\u201cThere was so much emotion and so much build up for that race. I don&#8217;t want to say it&#8217;s revenge, but that&#8217;s what it was. There wasn&#8217;t a shot in hell I was losing that race and if I did I was leaving everything in the pool.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not only did Phelps win the semi-final, beating le Clos by over a second. He went on to take the gold medal winning the final by 4-hundredths of a second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Intimidation exists because it works for some, but as Michael Phelps proved, it doesn\u2019t have to work on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_can_you_turn_intimidation_into_motivation\"><\/span><strong>How can you turn intimidation into motivation?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First, you should realize that your opponent sees you as a threat or there would be no need for them to seek an edge through intimidation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Second, you need to pay attention to getting ready to compete at your highest level. What is your game strategy? What should you <strong>focus<\/strong> on in that moment? Go through your pre-competition routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lastly, if your opponent sees that their antics are not working, soon those antics will lessen or stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips for turning intimidation into motivation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Focus<\/strong> your eyes away from the distraction. Pick a neutral point in the athletic environment or, if you can, close your eyes and listen to music or review your game strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, remind yourself that you have the edge because your opponent definitely views you as a threat. Let your opponent burn out their energy while you maintain a sense of <strong>calmness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-focused-athlete-cd-program\/\"><strong>Learn all of my secrets for boosting concentration here!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Sports Psychology Articles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-win-close-competitions\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/self-intimidation-for-athletes\/\"><strong>Self-Intimidation for Athletes<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-feelings-of-intimidation-in-golf\/\"><strong>How to Overcome Feelings of Intimidation in Golf<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-self-intimidation-destroys-confidence-peaksports-video\/\"><strong>How Self-Intimidation Destroys Confidence \u2013 Video<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-dca36a64-5c8f-4fcf-8dfb-da8bd663e456\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcas<\/strong>t<\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-370496de-1ed7-41e2-a009-254e9ec866b2\"><strong>Download a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/mental-toughness-report-athletes\/\">free sports psychology report<\/a>&nbsp;to improve your mental game!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-af5321a1-562b-4266-b2e9-068b5b1e1556\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sport-psychology-training-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about our one-on-one mental game coaching.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Fearless_Athlete\"><\/span>The Fearless Athlete <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/fearless-athlete-large.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4435\" style=\"width:213px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/fearless-athlete-large.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/fearless-athlete-large-270x300.jpg 270w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>For the last two decades, I\u2019ve been working with athletes and helping them optimize their physical ability by teaching them the secrets of top performing athletes. Now, you too can <strong>learn how to regain that child-like fearless attitude.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mental toughness is what separates the winner<\/strong> from the loser in any competition. Champion athletes train hard in practice, perform without fear in competition, and trust their skills in crunch-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Fearless Athlete program<\/strong> is ideal for any athlete that wants to overcome fear of failure and uncover inhibiting perfectionistic traits; or for any coach or parent who wants to teach athletes to perform with trust and freedom in competition.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-d86f0f1f\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-15746978 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-fearless-athlete-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-5e1cf75e gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/the-confident-athlete-series-digital-download\/products\/the-fearless-athlete-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Using Intimidation to Your Advantage \u201cThe intimidation factor\u201d is commonplace in competition. Some athletes will seek to get a mental edge by taking you out of your game. Intimidation takes many forms such as: &#8211;Trash talking before a game&#8211;A brush-back pitch to shake up a hitter&#8211;An extra shove after a whistle was blown&#8211;Stare-downs or crazy antics No matter &#8230; <a title=\"How to Overcome Intimidation in Sports\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-intimidation-in-sports\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How to Overcome Intimidation in Sports\">Sport Psychology Article&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142],"tags":[410,375,550,237],"class_list":["post-6947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-psychology-tips","tag-concentration-in-competition","tag-intimidation-in-sports","tag-michael-phelps","tag-motivation-in-sports"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.5.2 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cThe intimidation factor\u201d is commonplace in competition. 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